Subwoofer Choice Question SVS, Majico, JL Audio, REL


I have a pair of SVS-3000 subs. I have enjoyed them and they offer  a lot of bang for the buck.  I recently purchased a pair of the Fleetwood Devilles which I like very much.  Looking to upgrade my subs to match really well with my Devilles. Will be used for 2 channel music only. Want musical and  articulate bass that enhances and integrates well with the Devilles.  

Options are :

(1) SVS only this time going to the SVS-4000. Relatively inexpensive and I love their setup app.

(2) Magico A3Sub-built like  a tank, expensive though I can get a reasonable deal on  a pair and Magico will assist with the setup through REW

(3) JL Audio Fathom F112 or 113 V2- Good bang for the buck, lots of fine tuning available

(4) Rel (any of their carbon based subs)-Biggest concern is no phase adjustment. I am limited to where the subs can go so don't understand why they provide no variable phase adjustment.

Thoughts and comments welcome.

 

 

fooolish1

I have owned the fathom 113v2 with CR1 and the S510s. The companies obviously different philosophies. While JL's features are all about the frequency response, REL has videos suggesting positioning by way of impulse/timing in reference to the main speakers. That would be impossible with the fathoms. I am confused by REL's approach. Positioning subs to sync an impulse with main speaker would realistically mean the frequency response will not be optimal. Like Duke says, my experience is that peaks and dips and long decays are easily heard and measured.  Their difference are also reflected in preferred connectivity. With my (balanced) amp, I much prefer the ease of low level inputs to the quirkiness of hi-level used by REL. 

The fully automatic EQ included with the fathoms is powerful and does allow for  more liberal placement than the RELs. I. did have personal satisfaction of getting the mains and rels just so, to even out 40Hz and below, though. Ultimately I needed a crossover to flatten a 60Hz vertical resonance from my main speakers.

It is hard to know what features are needed for both particular people and particular rooms/speakers. 

 

 

 

@m-db thanks for that bit of info on the tv show. I will have to check it out.

regarding the fleetwoods - they are solid. Just not bass impact performers in the 80hz - 100hz region. I want to hear that slap or impact here.  No one said they were but I crave this for me and the type of music I listen to  

regarding my carbon specials. I am asking them to do too much especially if I’m not willing to tune or walk them around the room as they should. Due to their size they have to stay visually appealing. I’ve used rew and I do get down pretty low but I have room boom and without some sort of eq or more room treatment the subs will just overpower.

I have personal experience with REL, SVS, Rythmik and to a much lesser extent Martin-Logan. In my experience Rythmik has the best sound quality, though not by much, but if you have  a penchant for loud bass heavy music, they may not have the power you would need for them to keep up. SVS in my opinion is a great value and should be able to handle anything that you throw at it. REL sounds okay but is just not worth their price. Unless you need the auto correction, I would look at the "E" series instead of the Fathom. Magico, I have absolutely no experience but they seem like an awful lot of money for probably very little if any audible improvement. I would definitley want to do an AB comparison before I bought them.

Of all the subs that you have listed, I would pick the SVS.